It was the role of drones in everyday life that drove Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., to get Congress to restrict the purchase of Chinese drones by federal agencies. Those restrictions were included in a bill that Democratic President Joe Biden signed last year.

In Florida, law enforcement officers last year complained to the state senate that a ban on state-funded agencies operating Chinese-made drones left them with costlier aircraft that didn’t perform as well. That prompted state lawmakers to appropriate $25 million to help government-run drone programs acquire compliant models.

The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, with Chinese-made flying devices a dominant player in America. Lawmakers in Washington are now seeking to ban new sales of drones from two dominant Chinese manufacturers.

DJI and Autel Robotics have one year to convince skeptical national security agencies that their equipment doesn't pose a threat to the U.S.